On the third day of the Lunar New Year, don't forget to give gifts to poor ghosts, and be sure to remember "do 3 things, avoid 3 things".
The origin and symbolism of sending to the poor.
The third day of the first lunar month is called"Send the poor day"It is an important day in traditional Chinese culture. The origins of this custom can be traced back to ancient China as a way to banish poverty and misfortune and pray for relief. In ancient societies, poverty and hardship were common dilemmas, so people wanted to get out of poverty and seek happiness through special rituals and activities. While"Exorcise poor ghosts"It is one of the rituals that sends off the poor ghosts and prays for good weather and happiness in the new year.
In folklore,"Poor ghost"Represents poverty and hardship. It is believed that poor ghosts will come to the world on Chinese New Year's Eve, luring people to party for a long time, causing people to neglect their work, exhausting their wealth, and thus leading to a bad New Year. Therefore, people use a series of rituals to banish poor ghosts on the third day of the Lunar New Year to ensure peace and happiness in the new year. This custom reflects people's yearning for a prosperous and happy life, but also a struggle against misfortune and poverty.
Do three things well: welcome the God of Wealth, invite the God of Wealth, and send the poor.
On the third day of the first lunar month, people have to carry out some specific activities, which have good meanings and contain people's expectations and blessings for the new year. On this day, people do three important things: welcome blessings, invite the God of Wealth, and say goodbye to poverty.
1.Welcome and good luck.
On this day, people participate in auspicious events. For example, paste spring couplets, spring couplets are composed of couplets, door stickers and window stickers, and each couplet is written with auspicious words, such as"Ryoma spirit"、"Fumando"Wait. The purpose of sticking Spring Festival couplets is to create a festive atmosphere and pray for good luck in the new year. At the same time, people also set off firecrackers, the sound of which can dispel bad luck and bring good luck.
In addition to pasting Spring Festival couplets and setting off firecrackers, some places also have special customs. For example, in Yunnan, people burn fields with fire to pray for a good harvest and good luck. In Guangdong, people light incense lanterns to illuminate the future. All these activities imply welcoming the new year with good luck and happiness.
2.Wealth.
In addition to welcoming blessings, people also welcome the God of Wealth on the third day of the first lunar month. The God of Wealth is considered a symbol of wealth and good fortune, and it is believed that worshipping the God of Wealth will bring good fortune. Therefore, on the third day of the first lunar month, every household must light incense outside the door and pray for the blessing of the God of Wealth.
Merchants also worship the God of Wealth on this day. They set up incense burners and statues of the god of wealth in front of their shops, lit incense, and prayed for good luck and good business. Merchants believed that by worshipping the God of Wealth, they could attract wealth and prosperity.
These traditional customs express people's desire to gain wealth and pursue a better life. By welcoming blessings and inviting the God of Wealth, people hope that they will have a lot of money and a successful career in the new year.
3.Send to the poor.
Sending poor ghosts is the central activity on the third day of the first lunar month. It is believed that poor ghosts will come to the world on Chinese New Year's Eve, disturbing people's lives and affecting the luck of the new year. Therefore, people sent away the poor ghosts in a special way.
First of all, people should clean and purify the environment by cleaning up the garbage and waste items in their homes. This custom means sending away the poor and unlucky, purifying the environment in which one lives, and making the new year full of hope and joy.
Second, people eat a healthy meal. The meal is called"Family reunion dinner", symbolizing the unity and happiness of the family. The meal usually includes a variety of delicacies such as fish, meat, vegetables, and other hearty dishes, as well as a variety of desserts and fruits. It is believed that eating this hearty meal will usher in a good harvest and a happy new year.
In addition to cleaning up garbage and organizing family reunion dinners, some places have other customs. For example, in Guangdong, people eat noodles on the morning of the third day of the Lunar New Year, which means a good start to the year and good luck. In Fujian, people gather some vegetables and berries and cook soup with their families to drink, believing that this will bring good luck.
These customs mean the exorcism of poverty and frugality and the ushering in a new year of abundance and happiness. Three taboos: avoid going out, avoid debts, and avoid eating low-fat rice.
On the third day of the first lunar month, people should also avoid other things that are considered signs of bad luck. Specifically,"Three taboos"Including the following, they are all associated with poverty and misfortune, and people wish to pray for good luck in the new year by tabooing them.
1.Avoid going out.
On the third day of the first lunar month, people try to stay at home and avoid going out. Because it is believed that going out will lead to poor people and bring bad luck. Hence this day is also called"Don't go out"or"Closing day"。
2) Avoid debt collection.
It is also not suitable to collect debts on the third day of the first lunar month. It is believed that debt on this day will anger the god of wealth and affect the luck of the year. Therefore, people try to avoid dealing with debt-related matters on this day in the hope of praying for financial luck for a year.
3. Avoid eating porridge.
In some parts of China, it is taboo to eat porridge on the third day of the first lunar month. This is because"Thin"In Chinese, it is"Skinny"meaning, while"Thin"with"Poor"Pronunciation is similar in dialects. Therefore, eating porridge is considered a symbol of bad luck and poverty. Therefore, on this day, people will choose to eat rice or dry food to avoid bad omen.
These taboos and taboos are intended to avoid incurring misfortune and poverty and to bless success and abundance in the new year.
Don't throw away old traditions: respect the culture and pass on the customs.
Despite the rapid development of modern society, many traditional customs and concepts are gradually forgotten or ignored by the younger generation, but the older generation still remembers these ancient traditions. For them, these customs are not only a sign of respect for their ancestors, but also a yearning for a better life in the future.
Therefore, respecting and passing on these ancient traditions is of great significance to maintain the diversity and richness of culture. In today's society, many traditional cultural practices are in danger of being forgotten and marginalized. However, these traditional cultural practices are not only treasures of Chinese culture, but also an important way for people to know and understand history and think about the meaning of life.
Therefore, we must respect traditions and pass on customs. Whether it is to welcome blessings, invite the God of Wealth or send the poor, they all have rich symbolic meanings and far-reaching meanings. Respecting traditions and inheriting customs not only helps to maintain cultural diversity and continuity of traditions, but also allows us to better understand and practice the excellent cultural traditions of the Chinese nation.
While embracing modernization, we must also protect and pass on these traditional customs, so that they can be rejuvenated in the new era and continue to bring happiness and good wishes to people. Only by defending traditions, passing on customs, and maintaining cultural traditions in a rapidly changing society can we better understand and find our cultural identity and sense of belonging.